Local Government Restructuring Introduction:

Check below for KCC letter dated 05/02/25 and KCC newsletter dated 05/02/25

The leaders of Kent County Council (KCC) and Medway Council, Cllrs Roger Gough and Vince Maple, have formally expressed Kent's interest in joining the Devolution Priority Programme. Following unanimous support from the KCC cabinet on 9th January, a joint letter was sent to central government on 10th January with the covering letter signed by all 14 councils. 

Devolution presents an opportunity for town and parish councils in Kent to play a greater role in delivering local services and addressing community needs. With Kent potentially becoming part of the devolution priority programme, councils may have the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities or assets previously managed by higher-tier authorities.

We’re here to ensure that your council is prepared, supported, and confident in embracing these changes. As  devolution in Kent develops, this page will provide updates and tools to help your council adapt to this evolving landscape.

'Effective devolution must recognise the role of England's 10,000 parish and town councils as the community tier of local government. They can be a strong voice for our most local neighbourhoods and help address fears of remote government resulting from any larger unitaries set up. By strengthening their role, the government can ensure that devolution delivers tangible benefits for communities nationwide.'

Cllr Keith Stevens, NALC chair

Update coming soon

Dear All,

It is with regret that we write to inform you that we have not been included on the DPP programme.

Not being part of this accelerated devolution programme is undoubtedly disappointing, given that Kent and Medway made it clear to Government that we were ready and willing to meet its ambitious timeline and work towards a mayoral election in Kent in 2026. The reason we have been given is both confusing and insufficient and we will be seeking more detail from Ministers as to the rationale as soon as possible.

We remain committed to securing a deal for Kent and Medway and will continue the valuable work with you that we have carried out across the county, to shape the best possible deal for our region.

We will continue to lobby ministers to ensure that Kent and Medway remain top of the list when the next round of devolution deals in the UK is decided.

We would like to thank you once again for your collaborative approach and ongoing work.

With best wishes,

 

Roger Gough

Leader, Kent County Council

Vince Maple

Leader, Medway Council

 

To read on the KCC website, click here

The Leader of Kent County Council has been informed today (5 February) that Kent and Medway have not been selected by the Government to be part of its Devolution Priority Programme (DPP).

On 9 January 2025, Kent County Council (KCC) Cabinet Members agreed to ask for Kent and Medway to be considered for inclusion in the Devolution Priority Programme, submitting a letter to Jim McMahon OBE, MP Minister for Local Government and Devolution, before the 10 January deadline.

However earlier today the Leaders of KCC and Medway Council were informed by Jim McMahon that the bid to be part of the DPP had not been successful.

Reacting to the news, Roger Gough said: “I am astonished by this decision and bitterly disappointed that residents and businesses of Kent have been let down by the Government and will not be able to benefit from the increased monies, powers and opportunities promised through devolution.

“The reason we have been given is both confusing and insufficient and we will be seeking more detail from Ministers as to the rationale as soon as possible.

“I strongly believe that key issues in Kent, such as economic growth, housing and transport, all vital for our residents, would have been improved by devolution, as well as bringing new powers and more funding to Kent and Medway, to boost jobs and skills, improve our infrastructure and transport.

“We met all the criteria for devolution set out in the White Paper, and our initial expression of interest with Medway Council was supported by all 12 District and Borough Council Leaders in Kent. I am simply stunned that the Government has offered what I consider to be an incoherent argument as to why Kent has been turned down.

“That Kent and Medway are authorities of differing sizes is neither new nor unique. We have always made it clear that we stood ready and willing to work through a transitional phase that would culminate in the reorganisation of the county to address the imbalance.

“Not being part of this accelerated devolution programme is a missed opportunity and a huge blow to this authority and to Kent’s 1.9m residents, particularly given that Kent and Medway made it clear to Government that we would meet its ambitious timeline and work towards a mayoral election in 2026.

“I am devastated and angry on behalf of the residents of Kent, but our devolution journey is far from over. My first priority is to ask Government to fully explain why Kent has been excluded at a time that other similar areas have not been, and how we can deliver the benefit of devolution to our residents and businesses. Their long-term future has always been our top priority in pursuing this.”

For the latest news on devolution in Kent and Medway you can visit: Devolution - Kent County Council

Notes to editors

  • Decision-making powers moving away from Whitehall and out to regions was outlined in the English Devolution White Paper published in December 2024, in which the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, set out a vision for restructured local government and more elected mayors across England.
  • The Leaders of KCC, Medway Council and all 12 District and Borough Councils in the county submitted an expression of interest just after the general election in July 2024 to the Deputy Prime Minister, telling her they were keen to work collaboratively as a group, and with Government, to shape an innovative and comprehensive devolution deal for Kent and Medway.

Further to the publication of the English Devolution White Paper on the 16 December and your letter of the same date, we write in response to your invite for requests to join the Devolution Priority Programme.  As the Leaders of Kent County Council and Medway Council, the two upper tier local authorities for Kent and Medway, we formally ask to be included in the Devolution Priority Programme.

We are grateful for the webinars with your officials following publication of the White Paper, and the subsequent follow up meeting with Baroness Taylor on the 20th December which was very helpful.  You will already be aware that we have undertaken significant engagement with District and Borough Council Leaders given the time available over the Christmas and New Year period, as well as briefing Kent & Medway MPs and other key stakeholders.

We are confident that Kent and Medway can meet the timetable set out by the Government for local areas on the Devolution Priority Programme to create the Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA) and hold the first Mayoral election in May 2026.

Whilst there is some mixed feeling from District and Borough Council Leaders about the speed of moving forward with devolution on this timetable, and a desire to ensure that the period in which the structure of the new Strategic Authority (SA) will be a Mayoral County Combined Authority (MCCA) prior to the completion of local government reorganisation is minimised,  there is also general acceptance of the clear direction and expectation on devolution that has been set out by the Government.

We are committed to there being parity of esteem across all councils in Kent and Medway as we progress with devolution, and will continue to work in a collaborative and constructive way to design an MCCA structure in a way that continues to support our collegiate approach.

We also acknowledge that in asking to be part of the Devolution Priority Programme, we are accepting a parallel process of local government reorganisation for Kent and Medway. Again, in discussions with the Leaders of District and Borough Councils in Kent, there is general understanding of the clear direction of travel and expectation set out by the Government.

However, there is greater range of views in regard to both the number of unitary councils that could be created, their exact geographies and the speed at which we should seek to implement new structures.   These issues are being actively considered through the Kent Leaders Devolution Sub-Group and we are confident that through this collaborative work, a stronger consensus will emerge in the next few months.

It is already clear that there is a stronger leaning from many of the District and Brough Councils, as well as from our own two respective councils, that given the inherent challenge of restructuring 14 councils concurrently, and the wider pressures that KCC (and subsequently successor authorities) must bear given our location at the Gateway to Europe with associated border/asylum issues, getting reorganisation right in Kent, is the greatest priority. Those critical issues will sit alongside a clear desire to ensure recognition of historic place within the new unitary authorities.

On that basis, we will work collaboratively over the next few months to put together a realistic timetable for the implementation date for the new unitary councils in line with the timetable within the White Paper.

We recognise that the framework for devolution set out in the White Paper represents a once in a generation opportunity for Kent and Medway to radically reshape local government and local public service delivery for the benefit of our residents and businesses. We remain ambitious to seize that opportunity in a way that is pragmatic, deliverable and, above all, ensures continuity of the vital services our 1.9m residents rely on every day during a period of significant change.

We look forward to hearing from you and your officials in due course.

Yours sincerely

Roger Gough, Leader Kent County Council, and Vince Maple, Leader Medway Council

Kent’s Leaders Back Devolution Bid: What Could It Mean for the County?

The leaders of Kent County Council (KCC) and Medway Council, Cllr Roger Gough and Vince Maple, have formally expressed Kent's interest in joining the Devolution Priority Programme. Following unanimous support from the KCC cabinet on 9th January, a joint letter was sent to central government with the covering letter signed by all 14 councils. 

In addition to this, KCC will be requesting permission to defer the upcoming May elections, paving the way for significant changes to Kent’s local government structure.

What Will This Mean for Kent?

If accepted into the Devolution Priority Programme, Kent will undergo a transformative restructure of its local government. This could involve:

  • Significant changes to, or abolition of KCC, Medway Council, and the 12 district/borough councils.

  • The creation of new unitary authorities, which will assume the roles and responsibilities currently spread across these councils.

  • A directly elected mayor alongside a new Mayoral Strategic Authority, with the first mayoral elections potentially as early as 2026.

  • Unitary authority elections, proposed for 2027/2028.

This restructuring is part of the government’s broader devolution agenda, designed to bring decision-making closer to local communities. For Kent, devolution could mean access to new powers and additional funding, with the promise of improved services for taxpayers.

The Road Ahead

The next key milestone in this process is the week beginning 27th January, when the government will announce whether Kent has been accepted into the Devolution Priority Programme. If the bid is successful, KALC plans to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) with Kent County Council and Medway Council present to discuss the next steps.

However, much remains uncertain at this stage, particularly regarding the boundaries of the proposed unitary authorities and how the restructuring will impact residents and local services.

Stay Informed

KALC will be closely monitoring developments and keeping our member councils informed throughout this process. KALC has produced a Devolution page Devolution | Kent Association of Local Councils where we will keep you updated. 

We are maximising the power of collaboration by working closely with other County Associations, including Suffolk ALC. Together, we’re pooling our expertise and resources to ensure that we can effectively support you, our member councils, throughout the upcoming changes.

Our collective efforts are focused on key areas such as parishing unparished areas, navigating asset transfers while ensuring financial resilience, and advocating the vital role of town and parish councils during the reorganisation process.

As part of this partnership, we’re also working on dedicated events. Scheduled for 17th February, the first event will feature Chippenham Town Council sharing their invaluable experiences with devolution. Further details will follow soon. We look forward to providing opportunities for learning and discussion on these important topics.

16 December 2024

Dear Leaders

The English Devolution White Paper published today sets out how the Government plans to deliver on our manifesto pledge to transfer power out of Westminster through devolution and to fix the foundations of local government. You will receive under separate cover a letter outlining the ambition and key elements of the White Paper, but I also wanted to write to areas which might be in scope for a joint programme of devolution and local government reorganisation, to set out a clear process and key milestones.

The Government’s long-term vision is for simpler structures which make it much clearer for residents who they should look to on local issues, with fewer politicians able to focus on delivering. Local government reorganisation, alongside devolution over a large strategic geography, can drive economic growth whilst delivering optimal public services. To help deliver these aims, we will facilitate local government reorganisation in England for two-tier areas and for unitary councils where there is evidence of failure, or where their size or boundaries may be hindering an ability to deliver sustainable, high-quality public services.

Given how much interest there has been, and will continue to be in this programme, I am writing now to all councils in two-tier areas, and to neighbouring smaller unitary authorities, to give you further detail and to set out our plans to work with you over the coming months.

Local government reorganisation
My intention is to formally invite unitary proposals in January 2025 from all councils in two-tier areas, and small neighbouring unitary councils. In this invitation, I will set out further detail on the criteria I will consider when taking decisions on the proposals that are submitted to Government. I intend to ask for interim plans by March 2025.

As set out in the White Paper, new unitary councils must be the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks. For most areas, this will mean creating councils with a population of 500,000 or more. However, there may be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area, including on devolution. Final decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. We will ask you to work with other councils in your area to develop unitary proposals that are in the best interests of the whole area, rather than developing competing proposals.

Devolution
We are clear that reorganisation should not delay devolution. Plans should be complementary, with devolution remaining the overarching priority. In January, we will therefore also set out which areas will be included in our Devolution Priority Programme, aimed at places ready to come together under the sensible geography criteria set out in the White Paper and wishing to progress to an accelerated timescale. This will be with a view to inaugural mayoral elections in May 2026. This is an exciting programme and there has already been significant interest even before the White Paper was published.

I am aware that different places will be in different stages of their devolution journey. While some will already have an existing strategic authority, others may be in the process of establishing one, and others still may need reorganisation to take place before they can fully benefit from devolution.

I also understand that delivering these ambitious plans for devolution and for local government reorganisation will be a significant change. It will be essential for councils to work with local partners, including MPs, to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures capable of delivering the high-quality public services that residents need and deserve.

Transition and implementation
We are under no illusion about the scale of issues facing local government. It is in all our interests to make sure we are avoiding unnecessary spend at a time when budgets are already tight, so we will be working with sector partners to avoid use of expensive consultants wherever possible.

My department will be working closely with the Local Government Association, District Councils Network, County Councils Network and others, to develop a shared understanding of how reorganisation can deliver the best outcomes for local residents and businesses. We have a collective responsibility to ensure councils are better supported throughout reorganisation. This will include preparing robust proposals with evidence, standing up new unitary councils ready for vesting day and work to deliver the significant opportunities that are possible by creating suitably sized unitary structures. We will take a phased approach and expect to deliver new unitary authorities in April 2027 and 2028.

Timelines and next steps
I have heard from some areas that the timing of elections affects their planning for devolution, particularly alongside reorganisation. To help manage these demands, alongside our objectives on devolution, and subject to meeting the timetable outlined in this letter, I am minded-to lay secondary legislation to postpone local council elections from May 2025 to May 2026.

However, I will only do this where this will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe – either through the Devolution Priority Programme or where reorganisation is necessary to unlock devolution or open up new devolution options. There will be two scenarios in which I will be willing to postpone elections;

- Areas who are minded-to join the Devolution Priority Programme, where they will be invited to submit reorganisation proposals to Government by Autumn 2025.

- Areas who need reorganisation to unlock devolution, where they will be invited to submit reorganisation proposals to Government by May 2025.

For any area in which elections are postponed, we will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible as is the usual arrangement in the process of local government reorganisation.

For all other areas elections will take place as scheduled in May 2025, and I will invite in January proposals for reorganisation to be submitted to Government by Autumn 2025.

To lay the relevant legislation to postpone elections, I will need a clear commitment to devolution and reorganisation aims from upper-tier councils in an area, including a request from the council/s whose election is to be postponed, on or before Friday 10 January. This request must set out how postponing the election would enable the council to make progress with reorganisation and devolution in parallel on the Devolution Priority Programme, or would speed up reorganisation and enable the area to benefit from devolution as quickly as possible once new unitary structures are in place.

I am working together with my colleague and fellow Minister, Baroness Taylor, who will host a webinar with leaders and chief executives of councils to discuss the next steps I have outlined in this letter. I hope you will be able to attend that discussion.

I welcome your views on any matters raised in this letter. As set out above, I will require a clear commitment to delivering both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe, with any request to delay council elections by Friday 10 January. Please respond or direct any queries to EnglishDevolutionLGEnquiries@communities.gov.uk.

I look forward to working with you to build empowered, simplified, resilient and sustainable structures for local government. I am copying this letter to council Chief Executives, and where relevant to Best Value Commissioners. I am also copying this letter to local Members of Parliament, and where relevant to Mayors of combined (county) authorities, and Police (Fire) and Crime Commissioners.

Yours ever,

JIM MCMAHON OBE MP
Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolutio

Updates

Devolution Update: Progress and Next Steps

We were expecting confirmation last week on whether Kent has been accepted into the Devolution Priority Programme, but we are still awaiting an official decision. While we don’t have confirmation yet, we want to update you on the significant progress we’ve made in preparing for devolution.

What We’ve Been Doing:

Collaboration Across Counties – We have established a group of 19 County Associations to share strategies, best practices, and communications to strengthen our collective approach to devolution.

Learning from Other Areas – We have engaged with Cornwall, Cumbria, and North Yorkshire, gaining insights into their experiences with devolution. Lessons learnt will be shared on the new webpage shortly. This has also been a key focus of our County Officers Forum.

Workshops & Training – We have arranged a workshop on 17th February where town councils can learn from Chippenham Town Council’s approach to devolution. We are currently arranging a workshop for larger parishes.

Resources & Best Practice – We now have access to asset transfer policies from Cumbria, alongside a charter to support councils navigating the process, which we will be using to make a template.

Local Engagement – We have scheduled meetings with district/borough councils in Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Gravesham, Maidstone, and Tonbridge & Malling to discuss their devolution priorities and how KALC can support them. This will be the beginning of conversations on engaging councils and ensuring that councils are thought about.  Additionally, Canterbury City Council has invited us to take part in their Parish Forum on 11th March, which will focus on devolution and local government reorganisation.

Parishing unparished areas – We have started a workstream for creating town and parish councils.

New Devolution Page

We will continue to keep you informed and will share further details once we receive official confirmation. In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like to discuss devolution in your area, please get in touch.

 

Strictly for Town Councils 

Find out more and sign up here 

 
 

Listen to Leader Vince Maple speak on the Devolution Priority Programme 

 
 

Angela Rayner sets out plans to roll out devolution across England.